Much of the advice here on improving sleep encourages you to put your phone in another room, remove all distractions, and make sure your sleep environment is the most optimal for a good night's sleep. However, sometimes those measures are just unrealistic. People need their phones next to them in case of emergency or because of their jobs, etc. Also, many people read books on their tablets, or like to watch TV before going to bed. 

There is a way to improve sleep and smartly utilize technology, so you don't feel like you have to lock all of your devices in a safe during the night. Improving sleep is so nuanced, that there are other aspects of your life on which you can focus to help you get better sleep. Continue reading for some additional sleep tips! 

Are you sleepy or tired? 

The first thing to determine is if you are even having sleep trouble. There is a difference between being sleepy and tired. Sleep is the desire to go to sleep; eyelids are fluttering, head is nodding, and you could pass out if you just laid down. Tired is the feeling of just not being very stimulated, both mentally and physically. This could be because you're bored, depressed, or just need a break. 

Once you determine the difference, then you can more accurately improve what needs to be improved. Next time you feel like you're in an energy slump, ask yourself is it because you could go to bed right that second, or is it because you need to change up what you're doing. 

If your answer is the former, then determine which are the days you feel that way, and which days are you more energetic? Look at the number of hours of sleep you got, so you can determine what your perfect sleep duration is. There are recommendations for the number of hours of sleep that you need, but you have to do what's best for your body. 

If your answer is the latter, then sleep is actually probably one of the last things you need. In fact, sleep could actually make it worse. You need a change of scenery, a break from your work, and to socialize with your friends. In fact, some of those more stimulating activities that you need may actually take away from sleep, but are still beneficial because they provide you with the recharge that you need. 

Fix one thing at a time

If you decide that your issue is sleep deprivation, you may determine many causes to your sleep trouble. However, it's unrealistic to expect to be able to change all those things, and to be able to change them all at once. 

Do a log of your day to determine what may be contributing to your sleep issues. Are you spending too much time scrolling on social media? Is your bed uncomfortable or your sleep is disrupted by your bed partner constantly moving around? Are you bringing too much stress and anxiety to bed with you, which is keeping you awake?

Really assess your day and see what could be contributing to your trouble sleeping. If you can't find anything, then you could have an underlying sleep disorder, in which case, you will want to get a polysomnography to receive a diagnosis and more information about your sleep habits. 

Once you have determined the source(s) of your sleep difficulties, then work on changing one thing at a time. And focus on those factors of which are actually changeable. Don't waste your time and money on a bunch of gimmicks and hacks. At the end of the day, less is more. Less social media at night, less caffeine later in the day, and less alcohol throughout the evening. Those are easier changes, and then you can work on improving your sleep hygiene and other aspects of your day that could be contributing to your sleep challenges. 

Prepare for sleep during the day 

Preparing for a good night's sleep starts from the moment you wake up. As soon as you wake up, it's important to get a lot of sunlight and train your circadian rhythm to recognize when the beginning of the day is. That way, it can begin the countdown to sleep about 16 hours later. You can really influence your ability to sleep all throughout the day, so it's important to keep that in mind with certain habits.

One of those is making sure that you aren't taking too many naps, too long of naps, or naps too close to bedtime. Sleeping throughout the day can hamper your ability to go to sleep throughout the night. If you need a nap throughout the day, nap close to lunch time, and keep it between 20-90 minutes long. 

You also should workout throughout the day to help you prepare for sleep. Exercise is not only good for you in general, but it also is great for your sleep. The better you sleep, the better you will be able to workout because you'll have more stamina and be at a decreased risk for injury. 

One other barrier to sleep is revenge procrastination, which essentially is the process of staying up late to do the things you want to do, but don't get to do during the day. This includes talking to friends, scrolling on social media, watching the news or your favorite TV shows, and anything else that your daily obligations block from happening. Schedule time during the day for you to do these activities so you don't feel as if you have to squeeze it all in at once right before you go to bed. Thirty-minute quick chats on your lunch, or ten-minute reward breaks after an hour of work can help you get some of that time back. 

Have a routine

It's very important to have a routine for your sleep. This includes going to bed the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning - even on the weekends. You have to train your body so it knows what it's time to prepare for bedtime and wake time. Sleep training doesn't stop at infanthood or childhood. It continues throughout your entire life because your body relies on having a schedule. 

You can help build this routine by having a nighttime and morning time routine that set you up for a good night's rest and good start to your day. This should be a set of activities that you complete every day and help prepare you for each part of your day. Write it down if you need some structure for the first few weeks until you get into the habit. 

You don't have to have super rigid schedule, but just an outline of some activities that train your brain for the next part of your day. 

Use technology to your advantage

Technology is not the sleep energy that sleep health can sometimes make it out to be. There is a way to use technology so that it actually is of some benefit. You can turn your phone on do not disturb so your sleep is not interrupted or delayed by texts or notifications. If you like to have some type of media, then you can play a podcast, or read a book. Just make sure the screen is on night mode or the brightness is turned all the way down. 

Waking up in the middle of the night is another frustrating part of sleep, and it can be of benefit to use technology during those wakings. The important part of using technology in the middle of the night, however, is to have a plan so that it is controlled technology use. This means that before you go to bed, you have a set time that you will allow yourself to watch TV, listen to a video, etc., until you feel sleepy enough to go back to sleep. Stick to this time, though, so you don't lose too much of your night scrolling away. 

Sleep is a difficult task for some to achieve. However, it's vital for your health. So if you are having trouble sleeping, and none of the above tactics helped you achieve any significant gain, then please click the orange button to take a free online sleep test and talk with one of our sleep health professionals. 

https://www.vox.com/even-better/23366918/unconventional-sleep-advice